New gTLD Program
Community Priority Evaluation Report
Report Date: 3 September 2015
Application ID:
Applied-for String:
Applicant Name:

1-1911-56672
CPA
American Institute of Certified Public Accountants

Overall Community Priority Evaluation Summary
Community Priority Evaluation Result
Did Not Prevail
Thank you for your participation in the New gTLD Program. After careful consideration and extensive
review of the information provided in your application, including documents of support, the Community
Priority Evaluation panel determined that the application did not meet the requirements specified in the
Applicant Guidebook. Your application did not prevail in Community Priority Evaluation.
Your application may still resolve string contention through the other methods as described in Module 4 of
the Applicant Guidebook.
Panel Summary
Overall Scoring

11 Point(s)Criteria#1: Community Establishment#2: Nexus between Proposed String and Community#3: Registration Policies#4: Community Endorsement
Total

Earned403
411Achievable
4
4
4
4
16

Minimum Required Total Score to Pass 14

Criterion #1: Community Establishment
4/4 Point(s)1-A Delineation
2/2 Point(s)The Community Priority Evaluation panel determined that the community as defined by the application met
the criterion for Delineation as specified in section 4.2.3 (Community Priority Evaluation Criteria) of the
Applicant Guidebook (AGB), as the community defined in the application demonstrates sufficientdelineation, organization, and pre-existence. The application received a score of 2 out of 2 points undercriterion 1-A: Delineation.
Delineation
Two conditions must be met to fulfill the requirements for delineation: there must be a clear, straightforward
membership definition and there must be awareness and recognition of a community (as defined by theapplication) among its members.
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The applicant, the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA), has defined its community
to reflect the membership structure of its own organization as follows:- Regular membership: You hold a valid and current CPA license and have passed either the
Uniform CPA exam or the International Qualification Examination (IQEX). You held a CPA
license in the past that was not revoked for disciplinary reasons and have passed either the Uniform
CPA exam or the International Qualification Examination (IQEX). You have completed therequirements for CPA licensure as defined by the Uniform Accountancy Act (UAA), but you havenever been licensed.
- Associate membership: You have passed the CPA Exam, but have never been certified as a CPA
and have never been a Regular Member of the AICPA.
- International associate: You are a full, regular member of one of the following organizations
provided you adhere to the membership and eligibility requirements of the AICPA:
Australia - Institute of Chartered Accountants in Australia (ICAA)
Canada - Canadian Institute of Chartered Accountants (CICA)
England and Wales - Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales (ICAEW)
Germany - Institut der Wirtschaftsprüfer in Deutschland e.V. (IDW)
Hong Kong - Hong Kong Institute of Certified Public Accountants (HKICPA)
Ireland - Chartered Accountants Ireland (CAI)
Japan - Japanese Institute of Certified Public Accountants (JICPA)
Mexico - Instituto Mexicano de Contadores Publicos (IMCP)New Zealand - New Zealand Institute of Chartered Accountants (NZICA)
Scotland - Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland (ICAS)South Africa - South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA)- Non-CPA Associate membership: Apply to be a Non-CPA Associate Member if you have notpassed the Uniform CPA Examination or the IQEX, and meet one of the following requirements.
You are an owner of a public accounting firm that employs at least one senior level employee who isa current AICPA Regular Member (Voting) of the AICPA. You are a professional staff member in a
public accounting firm that employs at least one senior level employee who is a current AICPA
Regular Member (Voting) of the AICPA. You are a financial professional in a business,government, not-for-profit organization or in a consulting or law firm, and a current AICPA Regular
Member (Voting) is willing to sponsor your application. You are a full-time business or accounting
educator at an accredited college or university.
- Affiliate membership: You have received a current Notice to Schedule and will sit for the Uniform
CPA Examination.
According to the AGB, “Delineation relates to the membership of a community, where a clear and straightforward membership definition scores high, while an unclear, dispersed or unbound definition scores low.”
As required by the AGB, the application shows a clear and straight-forward membership definition, given theclarity of the AICPA’s own membership structure, used by the applicant for the purposes of defining the
proposed community. The membership process for the AICPA includes an application; verification of status
with respect to the Uniform CPA Exam, the CPA license, and educational requirements; and payment of fees
for assessment of application and membership dues.1 Thus, membership in the community as defined by theapplicant can be clearly verified by way of organizational membership in the AICPA.
According to the AGB’s second Delineation criterion, “community” implies “more of cohesion than a merecommonality of interest” and there should be “an awareness and recognition of a community among its
members.” The community as defined in the application has awareness and recognition among its members.
This is because the community as defined consists entirely of finance, accounting and business professionals
who have opted to organize themselves by way of membership in the AICPA. These members cohere by
1 See AICPA membership requirements and related applications:

http://www.aicpa.org/Membership/Join/Pages/individual-memberships.aspx?cm_sp=aicpa:mv-_-membershiphome-_IndivGreen
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way of a shared organizational mission, professional status, and participation in the conferences, events, andcontinuing professional education events hosted by the AICPA on a regular basis.2
The Panel determined that the community as defined in the application satisfies both of the conditions tofulfill the requirements for delineation.
Organization
Two conditions must be met to fulfill the requirements for organization: there must be at least one entity
mainly dedicated to the community and there must be documented evidence of community activities.
According to the AGB, “organized implies that there is at least one entity mainly dedicated to the community,with documented evidence of community activities.” The applicant, the American Institute of Certified
Public Accountants, is itself an organization that is expressly dedicated to its membership, i.e., thecommunity as defined in the application. The AICPA has not organized itself or its members for the
purposes of obtaining a TLD but has served the members of its defined community as a matter of its
mission. Additionally, as required by the AGB, the AICPA hosts regular activities serving its membership in
the US and elsewhere, both online and offline.3
The Panel determined that the community as defined in the application satisfies both of the conditions tofulfill the requirements for organization.
Pre-existence
To fulfill the requirements for pre-existence, the community must have been active prior to September 2007
(when the new gTLD policy recommendations were completed) and must display an awareness andrecognition of a community among its members.
The community as defined in the application, i.e., the AICPA membership, has been active prior to
September 2007 as required by the AGB, section 4.2.3. The organization was founded in 1887 and has been
increasingly active since then.4 As discussed above, the AICPA’s membership, in addition to being active
prior to 2007, demonstrates the AGB’s requirements for awareness and recognition.
The Panel determined that the community as defined in the application fulfills the requirements for preexistence.
1-B Extension
2/2 Point(s)The Panel determined that the community as identified in the application met the criterion for Extension
specified in section 4.2.3 (Community Priority Evaluation Criteria) of the AGB, as the application fulfilled
the requirements for the size and longevity of the community. The application received a score of 2 out of 2
points under criterion 1-B: Extension.
Size
Two conditions must be met to fulfill the requirements for size: the community must be of considerable size
and must display an awareness and recognition of a community among its members.
The community as defined in the application is of considerable size. According to the applicant’s website,“The American Institute of CPAs is the world’s largest member association representing the accounting
profession, with more than 412,000 members in 144 countries.”5 Additionally, as discussed above, thecommunity defined by the application demonstrates the recognition and awareness required by the AGB.
2 See conferences and events section of AICPA website: http://www.cpa2biz.com/browse/conference_calendar.jsp,

http://www.aicpa.org/CPEANDCONFERENCES/LIVEWEBEVENTS/Pages/default.aspx
3 ibid4 See AICPA’s most recent Annual Report documenting recent growth:
http://www.aicpa.org/About/AnnualReports/DownloadableDocuments/2013-14-Annual-Report-Narrative.pdf
5 See http://www.aicpa.org/About/Pages/About.aspx; note that these figures are greater than those cited in theapplication because of growth since the time of submission.
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The Panel determined that the community as defined in the application satisfies both of the conditions tofulfil the requirements for size.
Longevity
Two conditions must be met to fulfill the requirements for longevity: the community must demonstrate
longevity and must display an awareness and recognition of a community among its members.
The community as defined in the application demonstrates longevity. The AICPA’s membership has
continued to grow since its founding and the organization has established itself strongly within the finance,accounting, and business professions. Moreover, demand for individuals with the CPA qualification is likely
to continue to be robust. According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, most employers prefer to hireaccountants with a credential like the CPA, and demand is expected to increase 13% through 2022.6 Basedon the above, the Panel has determined that the pursuits of the community are of a lasting, non-transient
nature. Additionally, as discussed above, the community defined by the application demonstrates therecognition and awareness required by the AGB.
The Panel determined that the community as defined in the application satisfies both of the conditions tofulfill the requirements for longevity.
Criterion #2: Nexus between Proposed String and Community
0/4 Point(s)2-A Nexus
0/3 Point(s)The Panel determined that the application did not meet the criterion for Nexus as specified in section 4.2.3(Community Priority Evaluation Criteria) of the AGB. The string does not identify or match the name of thecommunity as defined in the application, nor is it a well-known short-form or abbreviation of thecommunity. The application received a score of 0 out of 3 points under criterion 2-A: Nexus.
To receive the maximum score for Nexus, the applied-for string must match the name of the community or
be a well-known short-form or abbreviation of the community name. To receive a partial score for Nexus (of2 out of 3 points; 1 point is not possible), the applied-for string must identify the community. “Identify
means that the applied-for string should closely describe the community or the community members,
without over-reaching substantially beyond the community.”
According to the application,
The Applicant is commonly known by its acronym AICPA. The American Institute of Certified
Public Accountants has represented and advocated for the interests of CPAs in America andworldwide for over 100 years. The Applicant sets the professional and ethical standards for all CPAs
in America and exerts significant influence on the standards of admission necessary to gain a CPA
worldwide. The applied for TLD reflects therefore the most valuable brand of the Applicant thatbuilds on the Applicant’s reputation it has gained in more than 100 years.
According to the AGB, “identify means that the applied for string closely describes the community or thecommunity members, without over-reaching substantially beyond the community” (AGB, 4.2.3, emphasis added), andthe applied-for string must at least identify the community for full or partial credit. In practice, the term
“CPA” in the context of accounting is often used to mean Certified Public Accountant and to identify anindividual who has passed a CPA exam, often in reference to the Uniform CPA Examination used in the US
and elsewhere. Indeed, there are estimated to be about 650,000 Certified Public Accountants (i.e., individuals
who have passed the Uniform CPA Examination) in the United States7. While the applied-for string may
identify these individuals, it does not identify the community defined by the applicant, since that community
6 See http://www.bls.gov/ooh/business-and-financial/accountants-and-auditors.htm#tab-6
7 http://www.forbes.com/sites/peterjreilly/2013/06/26/enrolled-agents-deserve-more-respect/,

http://nasba.org/blog/2010/01/07/january-2010-nasba-addresses-aicpa-sec-conference/
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does not include all CPAs. That is, at least 200,000 CPAs in the US are not included in the applicant’s
defined community (which has a size of about 412,000 individuals according to the applicant’s latest figures),although the applied-for string nevertheless refers to them. Furthermore, accounting professionals outside
the US who are also identified by the applied-for string “CPA” are not included in the applicant’s definedcommunity. These include, for example, the 150,000 members of CPA Australia8.9 The Panel has
determined, therefore, that the string is “over-reaching substantially beyond the community” (AGB) andcannot identify the community as required for credit on Nexus.
The Panel determined that the applied-for string does not match or identify the community or thecommunity members as defined in the application. It therefore does not meet the requirements for Nexus.
2-B Uniqueness
0/1 Point(s)The Panel determined that the application did not meet the criterion for Uniqueness as specified in section
4.2.3 (Community Priority Evaluation Criteria) of the AGB, as the string does not score a 2 or a 3 on Nexus.
The application received a score of 0 out of 1 point under criterion 2-B: Uniqueness.
To fulfill the requirements for Uniqueness, the string must have no other significant meaning beyond
identifying the community described in the application and it must also score a 2 or a 3 on Nexus. The string
as defined in the application does not demonstrate uniqueness as the string does not score a 2 or a 3 on
Nexus and is therefore ineligible for a score of 1 for Uniqueness. This is based on the Panel’s determinationthat the applied-for string “.CPA” does not identify the community defined by the application according to
AGB standards. Therefore, since the string does not identify the community, it cannot be said to “have noother significant meaning beyond identifying the community” (AGB, emphasis added). The Panel determined thatthe applied-for string does not satisfy the condition to fulfill the requirements for Uniqueness.
Criterion #3: Registration Policies
3/4 Point(s)3-A Eligibility
1/1 Point(s)The Panel determined that the application met the criterion for Eligibility as specified in section 4.2.3(Community Priority Evaluation Criteria) of the AGB, as eligibility is restricted to community members. The
application received a maximum score of 1 point under criterion 3-A: Eligibility.
To fulfill the requirements for Eligibility, the registration policies must restrict the eligibility of prospective
registrants to community members. According to the application:
parties who are not AICPA or – insofar and to the extent AICPA deems appropriate – an Affiliate
will not be entitled to register domain names in the .cpa gTLD.
The application therefore demonstrates adherence to the AGB’s requirement by restricting domain
registration to entities who are members of the community defined by the application.10 The Paneldetermined that the application satisfies the condition to fulfill the requirements for Eligibility.
3-B Name Selection
1/1 Point(s)8 See https://www.cpaaustralia.com.au/about-us
9 The Panel acknowledges receipt of a letter from the applicant in support of CPA Australia’s application for the same

string. The letter makes reference to how the two organizations will “jointly operate this extension” and that both
applicants’ members will be included in the community represented by the string. However, the Panel is not able toreview the letter as a change to the substance of either entities’ applications, in particular, as it applies here, with respect
to AICPA’s Delineation or Nexus. The Panel cannot, per AGB guidelines, credit the letter in any way other than as it
applies to support for another application.
10 Here and throughout its evaluation in Section 3, the Panel is informed by the applicant’s response to the Panel’s
Clarifying Questions ensuring that, despite conditional language in some of the applicant’s rules regarding registration,
any changes to the framework put forth in the application will require ICANN’s approval.
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The Panel determined that the application met the criterion for Name Selection as specified in section 4.2.3(Community Priority Evaluation Criteria) of the Applicant Guidebook, as name selection rules are consistent
with the articulated community-based purpose of the applied-for TLD. The application received a score of 1out of 1 point under criterion 3-B: Name Selection.
According to the application:
The domain names to be registered by AICPA and, as the case may be, its Affiliates (that is,members and possibly third parties who perform services or offer products to the benefit of the
Applicant’s members), will likely relate to the following:- registered trademarks of AICPA;- names of the individual members of AICPA;- names of organizations associated with the Applicant,- third parties who perform services or offer products to the benefit of the Applicant’s members;- names of departments within AICPA;- names of foundations and social initiatives supported by AICPA;- names of events organized by AICPA.
Furthermore, AICPA envisages registering a fair number of generic words that are directly or
indirectly related to the services and products offered to and the activities organized by the various
members of AICPA…
Therefore, the Panel determined that the application did satisfy the conditions to fulfill the requirements for
Name Selection rules that are consistent with the applicant’s community-based purpose, which is- Protecting and safeguarding the CPA trademark and its reputation, by keeping full control over theentire operation of the .cpa registry and every domain name registered therein; and- Guaranteeing to AICPA’s key stakeholders who are interacting with AICPA and, as the case may
be, its subsidiaries and Affiliates, by using domain name registrations in .cpa that they are in factinteracting with the trademark owner or its authorized Affiliates.
3-C Content and Use
1/1 Point(s)The Panel determined that the application met the criterion for Content and Use as specified in section 4.2.3(Community Priority Evaluation Criteria) of the Applicant Guidebook, as the content and use rules included
are consistent with the articulated community-based purpose of the applied-for TLD. The application
therefore received a score of 1 point under criterion 3-C: Content and Use.
To fulfill the requirements for Content and Use, the registration policies for content and use must be
consistent with the articulated community-based purpose of the applied-for gTLD. According to theapplication:
The Applicant will likely require that the content and use made by a registrant of a second-leveldomain name in the .cpa TLD clearly relates to the AICPA community, e.g. by way of- providing information on the activities of the Applicant;- offering products and services to the members of the Applicant, some of which may be on
favorable terms for its members.
The Applicant will in any case require that all content and use offered under the .cpa TLD complies
with all applicable laws, including, but not limited to, trademark laws, criminal laws, data protection
laws etc.
The application therefore demonstrates adherence to the AGB’s requirement of content and use rules thatare consistent with the application’s community-based purpose, which is- Protecting and safeguarding the CPA trademark and its reputation, by keeping full control over theentire operation of the .cpa registry and every domain name registered therein; andPage 6

- Guaranteeing to AICPA’s key stakeholders who are interacting with AICPA and, as the case may
be, its subsidiaries and Affiliates, by using domain name registrations in .cpa that they are in factinteracting with the trademark owner or its authorized Affiliates.
3-D Enforcement
0/1 Point(s)The Panel determined that the application does not meet the criterion for Enforcement as specified in
section 4.2.3 (Community Priority Evaluation Criteria) of the AGB. The application provides specific
enforcement measures but does not outline a coherent and appropriate appeals mechanism. The application
received a score of 0 point under criterion 3-D: Enforcement.
Two conditions must be met to fulfill the requirements for Enforcement: the registration policies must
include specific enforcement measures constituting a coherent set, and there must be appropriate appeals
mechanisms. The application details appropriate use and enforcement policies including the following, butdoes not outline “a coherent and appropriate appeals mechanism”:
One of the key policies each new gTLD registry will need to have is an Acceptable Use Policy thatclearly delineates the types of activities that constitute “abuse” and the repercussions associated with
an abusive domain name registration. In addition, the policy will be incorporated into the applicable
Registry-Registrar Agreement and reserve the right for the registry to take the appropriate actions
based on the type of abuse. This will include locking down the domain name preventing any
changes to the contact and nameserver information associated with the domain name, placing thedomain name “on hold” rendering the domain name non-resolvable, transferring to the domainname to another registrar, and⁄or in cases in which the domain name is associated with an existing
law enforcement investigation, substituting name servers to collect information about the DNS
queries to assist the investigation.
.cpa will adopt an Acceptable Use Policy that clearly defines the types of activities that will not be
permitted in the TLD and reserves the right of the Applicant to lock, cancel, transfer or otherwise
suspend or take down domain names violating the Acceptable Use Policy and allow the Registrywhere and when appropriate to share information with law enforcement. Each ICANN-Accredited
Registrar must agree to pass through the Acceptable Use Policy to its Resellers (if applicable) andultimately to the TLD registrants.
The applicant outlined policies that include specific enforcement measures constituting a coherent set but
not an appeals mechanism. The Panel determined that the application satisfies only one of the two
conditions to fulfill the requirements for Enforcement and therefore scores 0 points.
Criterion #4: Community Endorsement
4/4 Point(s)Support for or opposition to a CPE gTLD application may come by way of an application comment on
ICANN’s website, attachment to the application, or by correspondence with ICANN. The Panel reviews
these comments and documents and as applicable attempts to verify them as per the guidelines published on
the ICANN CPE website. Further details and procedures regarding the review and verification process may
be found at http://newgtlds.icann.org/en/applicants/cpe. The table below summarizes the review andverification of all support for and opposition to the American Institute of Certified Public Accountant’s
application for the string “CPA”.
Summary of Review & Verification of Support/Opposition Materials as of 10 July 2015

Application
Comments

Total Received andReviewed

Total Valid for
Verification

Verification
Attempted

Successfully
Verified

0

0

0

0

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Attachments to
20(f)

1

1

1

1

Correspondence

1

0

0

0

Grand Total

2

1

1

1

4-A Support
2/2 Point(s)The Community Priority Evaluation panel determined that the application fully met the criterion for Support
specified in section 4.2.3 (Community Priority Evaluation Criteria) of the Applicant Guidebook, as theapplicant had documented support from the recognized community institution(s)/member organization(s).
The application received a maximum score of 2 points under criterion 4-A: Support. To receive themaximum score for Support, the applicant is, or has documented support from, the recognized community
institution(s)/member organization(s), or has otherwise documented authority to represent the community.
“Recognized” means those institution(s)/organization(s) that, through membership or otherwise, are clearlyrecognized by the community members as representative of the community. To receive a partial score for
Support, the applicant must have documented support from at least one group with relevance.
Because the applicant, the AICPA, is applying for a gTLD intended for use by the membership of the
AICPA organization, the Panel determined that the applicant was itself the recognized community
institution/member organization. A recognized community institution or member organization is one which
not only (1) represents the entirety of the community as defined by the application, but is also (2) recognizedby the same community as its representative. The AICPA’s role in establishing educational and professional
standards for certified public accountants in its membership means that both of these standards are met. The
Community Priority Evaluation Panel determined that the applicant therefore satisfies the requirements forfull credit for Support.
4-B Opposition
2/2 Point(s)The Community Priority Evaluation panel has determined that the application met the criterion for
Opposition specified in section 4.2.3 (Community Priority Evaluation Criteria) of the Applicant Guidebook,as the application received no relevant opposition. The application received a score of 2 out of 2 points
under criterion 4-B: Opposition.
To receive the maximum score for Opposition, the application must not have received any opposition of
relevance. To receive a partial score for Opposition, the application must have received opposition from, at
most, one relevant group of non-negligible size. The Community Priority Evaluation panel has determinedthat there is no relevant opposition to the application. Therefore, the Panel has determined that the applicant
fully satisfied the requirements for Opposition.
Disclaimer: Please note that these Community Priority Evaluation results do not necessarily determine thefinal result of the application. In limited cases the results might be subject to change. These results do notconstitute a waiver or amendment of any provision of the AGB or the Registry Agreement. For updated
application status and complete details on the program, please refer to the AGB and the ICANN New
gTLDs microsite at <newgtlds.icann.org>.

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